← ACARA Digital Technologies Years 7–8

Frame rate and screen resolution

Frames per second: how many pictures the GPU shows each second. 60 fps looks smoother than 30. Higher resolution like 4K means more pixels per frame, so the GPU works harder.

Part of: ACARA Digital Technologies Years 7–8 — Hardware and Performance — Module 28

Understanding Frame rate and screen resolution in ACARA Digital Technologies Years 7–8

What it does: The variable name and the fps unit show that frame rate counts frames per second, and 30 is a common frame rate for games. Multiplying width by height gives the pixels per frame (2,073,600 for 1080p). A bigger resolution gives a bigger number, so the GPU has more work. fps means frames per second: how many pictures the graphics system shows each second.

Common mistakes: The number of frames is frames per second multiplied by the seconds, so it should be fps * seconds (120 frames). Adding gives the wrong answer. A single = stores a value in fps. == compares values, so fps would never be set and the next line would crash. It should be fps = 60.

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This module's key terms are also in a printable crossword (Modules 13–40) and word search (Modules 13–68).

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Learning
Duo
What does fps stand for?
Frames per secondFiles per system
Matches
A game running at 30 fps looks smoother than one at 60 fps.
↓
This is backwards. A higher fps looks smoother, so 60 fps looks smoother than 30 fps.
Applying
Meanings
Term
fps
Meaning
Frames per second: how many pictures the GPU shows each second. 60 fps looks smoother than 30. Higher resolution like 4K means more pixels per frame, so the GPU works harder.
Practice
fps ← 60
Testing
Gaps
pixels = width height
Check Answer
Spots
2seconds = 2
3frames = fps + seconds

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Quick Questions

1. What does fps stand for?
A. Files per system
B. Frames per second ✓
fps means frames per second: how many pictures the graphics system shows each second.
2. Which game will look smoother?
A. A game running at 60 fps ✓
B. A game running at 30 fps
60 fps shows twice as many pictures each second as 30 fps, so movement looks smoother.
3. Which screen resolution has more pixels in every frame?
A. 4K ✓
B. 1080p
4K has about four times as many pixels as 1080p, so each frame holds more detail.
4. You switch a game from 1080p to 4K. What does the GPU have to do?
A. Draw more pixels in every frame ✓
B. Draw fewer pixels in every frame
A higher resolution means more pixels per frame, so the GPU works harder.
5. A game stutters and feels jerky at 15 fps. What would help most?
A. Show fewer pictures each second
B. Get a higher frame rate ✓
A higher fps means more pictures each second, which makes movement look smoother.

Match the Pairs

60 fps → The screen shows 60 pictures every second, so game movement looks smooth
3840 x 2160 (4K) → A resolution with about four times as many pixels per frame as 1080p, so the GPU has more to draw
Frame rate is the number of pictures the GPU shows each second → frame_rate = 30 # fps
Raising the resolution means the GPU must draw more pixels in every frame → pixels = 1920 * 1080
A game running at 30 fps looks smoother than one at 60 fps. → This is backwards. A higher fps looks smoother, so 60 fps looks smoother than 30 fps.
Changing from 4K to 1080p makes the GPU draw more pixels per frame. → This is backwards. 1080p has fewer pixels than 4K, so the GPU draws fewer pixels per frame, not more.

Key Term

fps
Frames per second: how many pictures the GPU shows each second. 60 fps looks smoother than 30. Higher resolution like 4K means more pixels per frame, so the GPU works harder.

Fill in the Blanks

1. width = 1920 height = 1080 pixels = width * height
Hint: Type the operator that multiplies width by height to count the pixels the GPU draws in one frame.
2. frames = 120 seconds = 2 fps = frames / seconds
Hint: Type the operator that divides the number of frames by the time to get frames per second.
3. fps = 30 if fps < 60: print("Less smooth")
Hint: Type the comparison operator that checks if the frame rate is lower than 60.
4. uhd = 3840 * 2160 hd = 1920 * 1080 print(uhd > hd)
Hint: Type the comparison operator that checks if the 4K pixel count is larger than the 1080p pixel count.
5. fps = 60 ms = 1000 / fps print(ms)
Hint: Type the function name that shows the milliseconds per frame on the screen.

Spot the Error

Question 1
A fps = 60
B seconds = 2
C frames = fps + seconds
D print(frames)
Line C — The number of frames is frames per second multiplied by the seconds, so it should be fps * seconds (120 frames). Adding gives the wrong answer.
Question 2
A fps == 60
B frame_ms = 1000 / fps
C print(frame_ms)
Line A — A single = stores a value in fps. == compares values, so fps would never be set and the next line would crash. It should be fps = 60.
Question 3
A fps = 30
B if fps >= 60
C print("Very smooth")
D else:
E print("Less smooth")
Line B — An if statement must end with a colon. It should be if fps >= 60:
Question 4
A width = 3840
B height = 2160
C pixels = width * height
D print(pixel)
Line D — The variable is called pixels, not pixel. Using a name that was never created causes an error. It should be print(pixels).
Question 5
A fps_list = [30, 60, 120
B for fps in fps_list:
C print(fps, "fps")
Line A — The list is missing its closing square bracket. It should be fps_list = [30, 60, 120]

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